A low-cost hydrologic observatory for monitoring the water balance of small lakes

Global warming portends an accelerated water cycle as increased evaporation feeds atmospheric moisture and precipitation. To monitor effects on surface water levels, we describe a low-cost hydrologic observatory suitable for small to medium size lakes. The observatory comprises sensor platforms that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 2019-09, Vol.191 (9), p.548-548, Article 548
Main Authors: Watras, Carl J., Michler, James R., Lenters, John D., Rubsam, Jeff L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmospheric models
Atmospheric moisture
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Bowen ratio
Calibration
Climate
Climate change
Climate models
Consumptive use
Continuity equation
Deployment
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecotoxicology
Energy balance
Environment
Environmental Management
Environmental monitoring
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Environmental policy
Environmental science
Estimates
Evaporation
Evaporation pans
Floating
Global Warming
Hydrologic cycle
Hydrologic models
Hydrologic networks
Hydrological cycle
Hydrology
Hydrology - methods
Inflow
Laboratory tests
Lakes
Lakes - analysis
Low cost
Mass transfer
Monitoring/Environmental Analysis
Observatories
Precipitation
Stilling wells
Surface water
Training
Water balance
Water Cycle
Water inflow
Water levels
Water resources
Wisconsin
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Description
Summary:Global warming portends an accelerated water cycle as increased evaporation feeds atmospheric moisture and precipitation. To monitor effects on surface water levels, we describe a low-cost hydrologic observatory suitable for small to medium size lakes. The observatory comprises sensor platforms that were built in-house to compile continuous, sub-daily water budgets. The variables measured directly are lake stage ( S ), evaporation ( E ), and precipitation ( P ). A net inflow term ( Q net ) is estimated as a residual in the continuity equation: ∆ S = P − E + Q net . We describe how to build in-lake stilling wells and floating evaporation pans using readily available materials. We assess their performance in laboratory tests and field trials. A 3-month deployment on a small Wisconsin lake (18 ha, 10 m deep) confirms that continuous estimates of ∆ S , E , P , and Q net can be made with good precision and accuracy at hourly time scales. During that deployment, daily estimates of E from the floating evaporation pans were comparable with estimates made using the more data-intensive Bowen ratio energy balance method and a mass transfer model. Since small lakes are numerically dominant and widely distributed across the globe, a network of hydrologic observatories would enable the calibration and validation of climate models and consumptive use policies at local and regional scales. And since the observatories are inexpensive and relatively simple to maintain, citizen scientists could facilitate the expansion of spatial coverage with minimal training.
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1007/s10661-019-7712-9